Pennsylvania Court Records

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania operates a unified court system established to handle a wide range of cases that may occur in the state. Typically, cases are initiated at the lower courts and may be appealed up to the apex court - the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Throughout the case initiation process through to its finalization at any level in the court system, records are generated and maintained locally by the record custodian of the court.

The Pennsylvania unified court system handles more than 2.2 million cases annually and is structured like a pyramid, comprising the minor courts, intermediate appellate courts, and the apex court.

The minor courts in the Pennsylvania unified judicial system are the minors courts (magisterial district courts, Philadelphia municipal courts, Philadelphia traffic court, and Pittsburgh municipal court) and the court of common pleas. The magisterial district courts handle minor criminal offenses, traffic violations, small civil claims, and preliminary hearings for more serious criminal cases. The Court of Common Pleas serves as the primary trial court with general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases, including family matters, probate, and appeals from minor courts.

At the intermediate level, the superior court hears appeals of criminal and civil decisions made by the court of common pleas, while the commonwealth court specializes in cases involving state and local governments and regulatory agencies, including administrative law matters. The Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in Pennsylvania. The court reviews decisions from lower courts and holds administrative authority over the state's judicial system.

What Are the Types of Court Records In Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania's court system consists of several levels, each handling specific types of cases and maintaining records in line with the types of cases handled. Each court in the system has a clerk who is responsible for managing and providing access to the records of the court, including case filings, proceedings, and judgments.

The following are the types of records maintained by each court in the state:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Opinions and rulings on appealed cases
• Attorney disciplinary actions
• Court administration records
• Superior Court:
• Appellate decisions and opinions
• Dockets of appealed cases
• Motions and briefs filed during appeals
• Commonwealth Court
• Appeals involving state agencies
• Cases related to tax disputes, zoning laws, and public benefits
• Election-related legal proceedings
• Courts of Common Pleas:
• Criminal case dockets and sentencing records
• Civil lawsuits, including personal injury and contract disputes
• Family court records, including divorce, custody, and adoption
• Probate and estate filings
• Pittsburgh Municipal Court
• Criminal Proceedings: Files related to criminal cases within Pittsburgh
• Philadelphia Municipal Court: Serving Philadelphia County, this court's records encompass:
• Civil Case Records: Cases involving disputes up to $12,000.
• Criminal Case Records: Misdemeanor cases and preliminary hearings for felonies.
• Traffic Offense Records: Documentation of all traffic-related offenses.
• Magisterial District Courts:
• Civil Case Records: Documentation of small claims and landlord-tenant disputes.
• Criminal Case Records: Files on summary offenses and preliminary hearings for misdemeanors and felonies.

Are Pennsylvania Court Records Public?

Pennsylvania court records are generally considered public records according to the state's Right-to-Know Law and the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. These laws ensure that judicial decisions, systems, and actions remain transparent to the public.

However, certain records are exempt from public access to protect privacy and sensitive information. These exemptions may include:

• Juvenile Records: Typically, records involving minors are confidential to safeguard their privacy.
• Victim Information: Details that could identify victims, especially in sensitive cases, are often withheld.
• Ongoing Investigations: Records about active investigations may be restricted to prevent compromising the process.
• Personal Information: Information such as Social Security numbers, financial account details, and other personal data is protected to prevent misuse.
• Additionally, certain records may be sealed by the court, rendering them inaccessible to the public. Common reasons for sealing records in Pennsylvania include protecting individual privacy rights and confidential information.

How Do I Search Pennsylvania Court Records?

Accessing Pennsylvania court records is possible both online and through in-person visits. To access court records online, you may use the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal. The portal provides access to appellate court case information, criminal common pleas court case information, and magisterial district court case information. Some counties also maintain websites with case information databases that users may search. In such cases, the public may find court records online via official court websites.

How To Retrieve Court Records Offline

You may retrieve court records offline in Pennsylvania by visiting the office of the clerk of the court where the case was filed to make a request. Typical information required to search court records at the office of the clerk includes:

• Case number
• Party name
• Date of the hearing or trial
• Type of case

Processing times and fees for copying and certifying court records can vary by county. Inspection and copy of standard records may be available on the same day of request. However, certified or complex records may take several days to a few weeks to be available depending on the volume of requests received by the office of the clerk and other factors.

Can I Seal or Expunge a Pennsylvania Court Record?

In Pennsylvania, eligible individuals may request to have their records sealed or expunged. Expungement refers to the complete removal of certain criminal records, making them inaccessible to the public, while sealing restricts access to specific records, allowing only authorized entities to view them. Once a record is sealed or expunged, it will no longer appear in background checks for jobs, housing applications, or loan approvals, reducing barriers to future opportunities.

Section 9211 of Title 18 of Pennsylvania Statutes outlines requirements for expungement in the state. To be eligible for expungement, the record must be related to:

• An arrest for which no conviction exists for the alleged offense
• Cases that were dismissed after the successful completion of an ARD (Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition) program
• Summary offense occurring a minimum of five years ago as long as the petitioner has remained arrest and prosecution-free since then. Summary offenses are low-level offenses where the penalty is capped at 90 days incarceration in a county jail and a $500 fine
• A conviction for the petitioner who is now over the age of 70. The petitioner must also have been arrest-free for a minimum of 10 years.
• Underage drinking convictions at age 21 and upon the completion of all court-ordered restitutions.

Note that records that are not eligible for expungement include those related to arrests or charges for some offenses involving under-18 victims, such as prostitution and sexual assault.

A record that is ineligible for expungement in Pennsylvania may qualify for sealing. Under the Clean Slate law in Pennsylvania, some records such as the following may be sealed automatically without requiring a petition:

• Non-conviction records
• Pardoned offenses
• Summary offenses that are at least 10 years old
• Qualifying second- and third-degree misdemeanors and ungraded offenses carrying a maximum sentence of no more than a two-year imprisonment term

Note that for automatic expungement to apply, the record owner must have satisfied all court-ordered sentences and restitution. Also, they must be conviction-free for 10 years.

To seal a record by petitioning the court for an Order for Limited Access (Sealing), the record must be related to qualifying first-, second-, or third-degree misdemeanors, or ungraded offenses carrying a maximum sentence of no more than a five-year imprisonment term. No other convictions punishable by a year or more in prison must exist for 10 years, and all restitutions ordered by the court must have been paid off.

The processes for sealing and expungement in Pennsylvania are similar. Generally, it involves the following steps:

• Obtain Criminal History: Request your criminal record to identify eligible offenses. This involves submitting Form SP 4-170 to the Pennsylvania State Police, along with a $20 fee and a copy of your government-issued photo ID.
• File Petition: For offenses not eligible for automatic sealing, file a petition in the Court of Common Pleas in the county in which the offense occurred. For sealing, you must submit an order for limited access. The district attorney has 30 days to review your sealing or expungement request after which a hearing will be scheduled if they object.
• Notification: Relevant agencies and victims may be notified and may object to the petition.
• Hearing: A hearing may be scheduled to determine the outcome.
• Order Issuance: If approved, the court will issue an order to seal or expunge the record.

How To Search Federal Court Records in Pennsylvania

There are three federal courts in Pennsylvania: Eastern District, Western District, and Middle District. Records of these courts are created via case filings and court proceedings in the matters handled by the court. The types of cases heard in these courts include bankruptcy, matters involving the United States Constitution, federal laws, disputes between states, and admiralty law.

Cases generated in these three courts may be accessed online or offline. Online access is made available via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. However, you need to register for a PACER account to search and view federal court records via the PACER system. Typically, copies of federal court records cost $0.1 per page but are capped at $3 per document. To obtain paper copies of federal court records in Pennsylvania, you must visit the location of these courts and submit a request at the clerk's office. Be aware that you will need relevant information to conduct a successful search. Such information may include case numbers, party names, and filing dates.

How To Get Pennsylvania Court Records Online for Free?

Many local courts in Pennsylvania have websites that allow the public to search court records for free. Also, the state provides access to court records via the Unified Judicial System Web Portal. Furthermore, since most court records are public records, you may also get them for free using reliable third-party websites such as PennsylvaniaPeopleRecords.us.